Persecuted Church

2019 World Watch: Top 10 Places of Persecution Around the World

/ Dennis Griffith / Leave a comment

Earlier today Open Doors USA, an organization that tracks religious persecution around the world, particularly the persecution of Christians, published the new 2019 World Watch List, ranking and chronicling the Top 50 countries where persecution of Christians occurs.

The Top 10 (or Bottom 10, if we consider these worst to less-worse):

  1. North Korea
  2. Afghanistan
  3. Somalia
  4. Libya
  5. Pakistan
  6. Sudan
  7. Eritrea
  8. Yemen
  9. Iran
  10. India

Some will be surprised that China does not make the Top 10. This is perhaps especially so given the arrests of scores of members of the Early Rain Covenant Church in China, including the congregations pastor, Wang Yi, that has been in the news. China comes in at #27 on this list.

It is stunning to me to think that there are 26 nations where religious oppressing is greater than it is in China.

Open Doors does more than just track the tragedies; they support those who are persecuted.  If you want to do something, begin by downloading the Prayer App, posting a prayer on the Prayer Wall, and/or writing a letter to a persecuted Follower of Jesus.  There are also opportunities to get more deeply involved, to become a volunteer or an advocate.  To learn more about these opportunities, contact Open Doors.

“If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.”  (1 Corinthians 12.26)

Jesus Freaks

/ Dennis Griffith / Leave a comment

Studying the Church at Smyrna, while working through a series from the 7 Churches in the Book of Revelation, reminded me that persecution of Christians is not just something that took place on the pages of ancient history.  Persecution of Christians is an ever-present tragic reality.  We are told by historians and scholars that more Christians were persecuted for their faith duing the 20th Century than during all history up to that time – COMBINED! 

As startling as that statistic may be, it is important for us to be aware. 

As Christians we are instructed to “bear the burdens” of other believers (Galatians 6.2), and to “rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn”. (Romans 12.15)  We can do none of those things if we are not aware of what others are experiencing. 

We are also strangely strengthened by the examples of those who have endured suffering and persecution for the sake of Jesus.  Their testimonies ought to be an important part of our devotional diet.

There are a number of good resources that will share the stories of those who have endured hardship, indignation, and even martyrdom, for the Cause of Christ.  The classic is Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. Another I recommend is a more contemporary book – one I was at first skeptical about simply because it is written by the members of CCM’s DC Talk.  (I didn’t know anything about them.  I just assumed: “How deep can it be?”  But was I ever wrong…)

Jesus Freaks by DC Talk is a wonderful collection of testimonies of those who have glorified God by faithful endurance throughout the generations.  Each account is brief and profound.  Simply by reading a page or two daily, or periodic intervals, will enrich the reader with chronicles of Chrisitans whose lives have been poured out for God’s Glory.